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Crusaders F.C.
(as Clifftown Crusaders) | dissolved = | ground = Palm Cove Park | capacity = 10,000 | owner = | chairman = | manager = Wesley Albers | coach = | currentleague = League B | currentposition = | lastseason = | lastleagueb = League B | lastposition = 8th | current = | website = | firstgame = | largestwin = | worstdefeat = | topscorer = | fansgroup = | honours = | American = }} :Not to be confused with the Northern Irish club of the same name. Crusaders Football Club is a professional football club based in Clifftown, St. Gregory. The team plays in League B, the second tier of the St. Gregory Football Association, after finishing as champions of League C in 2017-18 League C season. The club was founded in 1985 as Clifftown Crusaders and admitted to the SGFA's inaugural League B season as part of a six-team expansion, the first major expansion for the SGFA. Crusaders' main rival is Don Bosco, a rivalry that predates both clubs' entry into the professional pyramid, and matches between the two are known as the Holy War due to the Presbyterian and Catholic roots of the respective clubs. Crusaders have had several spells in League A throughout their history, but are yet to win a League A championship. They were most recently in League A in 2012-13, when they finished 16th and were relegated. They are also yet to reach the final of the SGFA Cup. History Crusaders trace their origins to Clifftown Presbyterian Church, which previously operated youth and senior teams in church leagues (one of their first rivalries was against the team that would go on to become Banks City). When reports began to circulate in 1984 about a potential future expansion of the SGFA, the church petitioned the association to be considered as one of the expansion clubs. With stadium access, a club identity and players already at their disposal, the Cliftown church's application was approved and Clifftown Crusaders F.C. was officially chartered on Easter Saturday: April 6, 1985, and the club was entered into the newly-formed League B for the 1985-86 season. The club's first professional game was played on October 19, 1985, resulting in a 4-1 defeat at Swifton Athletic. Their first home game was the following week, where Crusaders defeated CGC Red Stars 2-1. They went on to finish the season in fifth place out of six teams in League B (ahead of their rivals Don Bosco. In 1990, the club dropped "Clifftown" from its name and officially became known as Crusaders F.C.. Crusaders finished the 2016-17 League B season in 14th place and were forced into a playoff on May 23, 2017, against Black Lions. Crusaders lost the match 3-1 and were relegated to League C; Bingham was sacked as manager the next day. Stadium :Main article: Palm Cove Park Since the team's establishment, they have played their home matches at Palm Cove Park in Clifftown, a 10,000-seat multi-use facility that also hosts athletics, rugby and cricket. Colors, crest and nickname Crusaders' name and colors were chosen during their days representing Clifftown Presbyterian Church and reference the medieval Christian knights of the same name. The club's motto, featured on the crest, is Spectemur agendo, Latin for "Let us be judged by our acts". The club has traditionally played in red shirts with a single white stripe, a reverse of the strip worn by Dutch giants Ajax. Several iterations of the kits have featured a cross design (similar to the club crest), while recently the stripe has disappeared completely. The club's uniforms will be supplied by RS Teamwear as of 2018, after Nike supplied the kits for the previous five years. Palm Cove Coffee, who also hold naming rights to the club's home ground, will remain on as shirt sponsor. Support Rivalries :Main article: Holy War The club has an intense rivalry with Don Bosco. The rivalry between the two clubs is threefold: religious (Crusaders were founded by Presbyterians whereas Don Bosco are named for a Catholic saint), geographical (less than 20 miles separate the clubs' home towns) and the fact that both clubs entered the SGFA at the same time. Matches between Crusaders and Don Bosco are referred to by fans and media as the Holy War. Players Current squad : As of August 27, 2019 Note: Players without a flag are from St. Gregory. Players with an asterisk (*) are from outside the United States or its territories, or have represented a non-U.S. territory at international level, but hold either citizenship or permanent residency in the U.S. and thus do not count towards the league cap on foreign players. Reserves and Academy :Further information: Clifftown Hawks F.C. Out on loan Former players :Further information: Category:Crusaders F.C. players Managerial history :Further information: Category:Otway Town F.C. managers Honors * League B :* Runners-up (1): 1990-91 * League C :* Champions (1): 2017-18 Category:Crusaders F.C. Category:Club pages